Table conversations and good works

Do you remember your mother telling you that breakfast is the most important meal of the day?

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Leslie Schaffner, executive director of the Wichita Falls Area Community Foundation. (Photo: Torin Halsey/Times Record News)

I heard that frequently and have probably said it a few times myself. I do believe breakfast can be the most important meal of the day — and so can lunch and dinner. The difference, however, is I’m not speaking from a nutritional standpoint.

I’m talking about what happens around the meal table. Don’t get me wrong, good nutrition is very important but, good conversation can be a game changer.

Recently I sat down for lunch with several nonprofit executives and community leaders. There was no agenda and no anticipated outcome. It was just lunch. Most of the people in the room had, at minimum, a passing knowledge of each other. Some were well acquainted. Others, not at all.

The conversation grew organically as we passed the salad dressing and it continued through the dessert. The awesome part was the engagement that was happening. Each person at the table was genuinely interested in learning from the others.

No one tried to dominate the discussion or push an agenda. It was just a friendly lunch, and a little bit of learning.

As I listened to the conversation, it reminded me how blessed we are to have so many nonprofits in our area that daily, and too often quietly, do the work that improves life for us all.

For those nonprofit leaders around the table that day, it was clear their work is fueled by their passion for their organizations’ missions. However, their programs are fueled by the compassion of others through their shared interests, talents, and especially their giving. And that is where the rest of us can pull up a chair.

One of the many roles of the Wichita Falls Area Community Foundation is to be a convener. We look for ways to bring people together to talk about the needs, challenges, possibilities, and solutions in our area.

We also serve as a resource to connect people with their giving passions. And while it is not always feasible to share a meal and good conversation, we all do have an important seat at the table, and a role to play in the future of our region, whether it is through time, talent, or treasure.

If you are interested in learning more about charitable giving and the work of nonprofits in our area, give us a call. We would be honored to pull up a chair and have a conversation with you. It might just be a game changer.

Leslie Schaffner is the president of the Wichita Falls Area Community Foundation.